Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-09
THAT COMMERCE LAW.
Railroad Men Pronounce the Law 6
Bad One and Rest Their Hopes
on the Commission.
A Son of Senator Pugh of Alabama Made
Secretary of tho Commission-FIrst
Effects of the Law.
WHAT RAILROAD MEN SAY.

NEW IOhhf hpIIl C--1uG LILIES SdIS
"The Interstate commerce law is likely
to prove a boomerang to It's authors, J"
said railroad manager. '1f it was de-
signed by them to be ladder oy which to
ascend the heights of political fame you
are likely to hear something drop with q
dull and sickening thud attachment too.
Already those who most persistently
labored for its enactment have applied to
have its most important provisions sus-
pended. 1t is SHOWN to be of practical
benefit only TO coast lines and Pacific
steamers while it is a positive in Jury to
nearly all the railroads and all business
interests"
"By author do you mean Senator Gull
lum or Mr.. Reagan, or both?" the manager
was asked.
"Botl of them" was the answer, sal
though Cullom is not really to blame for
the Objectionable features of the bill.
They were forced on the measure by
Reagan and his crazy followers in the
House. Cullom had to consent to them
in order to get the bill through the House
in any shape, but he will suffer for it just
the same as though he agreed to them
voluntarily. The fact is, the whole meas
ure is emateurish and impracticable.
hdlIEOhu ucl VI IuS WuOI IdllIOdu SyS-
TEN of America, with its 240, 900 miles of
tracks, and those of England and
Germany and the rest of Europe
and India's system, which have
been practically developed within the last
fifty years are against it, and men in
order to understand these enormous in
terests must have had to grow up in them.
Reagan has been the laughing stock OF
> a lrr,oy yE-nrI1 f,r ipI 20
notions for the last six years, and he is
the last man whose notions should have
been Incorporated in national railroad
law. A law without the long and short
haul aud the anti-pOol clause was sub
stantially all that shOnld have been en-
acted at this time, but the southerners
wanted these cIauses-and they got them
suspended"
"How will the suspension affect the
business of your road?"
at will make it possible for US to carry
through freight to New Orleans and the
south via Louisville and Memphis that
otherwise would have gone by water.
Under operations of the law nearly all
through freight TO the gulf and lower
river points would have had to grub
along on way business or suspend. l
look for further and general suspensions
and notifications of these two provisions
of the law by the commission until Con-
gress can again take it up and put it in
proper shape"
This was found to be the general senti-
ment among railroad men regarding the
operations of the law. A general feeling
OF uneasiness prevailed among them, but
they all looked upon the commission as a
reliable quantity, and concluded that it
would not enforce any proVlsiy ms of the
law that were likely TO occasion a dis
couragement of existing business reIa-
lions.
Commissioner Pierson said: az do not
think the gentlemen of the Interstate
commerce commission are likely to arbi-
trarilY enforce any provisions OF the law
that may be found injurious to the
commerce of the country. Indeed their
action IN suspendlng provisions COM
planned of by certain southern railroad
interests indicated an intention to act
only upon well digested consideration of
the interests affected by the law. The
law is not without its advantageous
features, and altogether l cannot restrain
the conviction that it is q step in the right
direction. Though crude withsl, out
of it may ultimately Issue a provision of
law which the commerce of the country
calls for and under which all affected
interests may find mutual protection and
mutual prosperity"
WHAT DUN SAYS.
NEW YORK, April r. G. Dun & Co.
IN their weekly report of trade say: The
Interstate commerce act causes quite as
much disturbance as was anticipated.
Shipments, in the aggregate enormous,
for distribution beyond Chicago, have
to be rebilled there, and merchants
and manufacturers find rates raised !
from so to 80 per cent. on many distant |
shipments. The Pacific lines complain |
that transcontinentaI traffic is rendered |
Impossible unless they are exempted. The |
ASSOCIATION oftwenty-seVen southern roads |
and lines have already obtained tempo |
rary exemption because of the conse- |
quent interruption of tariff. The north
ern lines, completing with lske or Cana
dian transporters, claim equal needs, !
and interior roads cite large ship
ments of -four down the Missis-
sippi because through rail rates
are raised Coal rates increase the cost
OF fuel 81 per ton about Philadelphia.
Changes in iron freights disturb the
trade and may close some furnaces
i i
which the commission is expected to
examine and in some way to remedy, but
the question is, how far it is able.
APRoTEsT FROM CHICAGO.
CHICAGO, ILL, April 6.-A move is Oh
foot to send on from this city the protest
of leading merchants and shippers
against the action of the Interstate COM
merce commission in suspending the
operation of the long and short hauls
clause ct various points. The special
grievance here is the suspension affecting
the route across the lake from Milwaukee.
THE FIRST APPOINTMENT.
WASHINGTON, April S.-The interstate
commerce commission has appointed E.
L. Pdgh of Alabama to q clerkship under
that commission. Mr.. Pugh is a son of
Senator Pugh. This is the first appoint
ment made by the commission.